Friction-draft-rigging finishing and proving machine.



J. F. OGONNOR.

EMOTION DRAFT RIGGING FINIsHlNG AND PRovING MAGHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 1115.11.22, 1909. 932,566. Patented Aug. 31, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. F. OGONNOR.

FRIGTION DRAFT RIGGING FINISHING AND PROVING MACHINE.

` APP'moATIo'N FILED MAB. z2, 1909.

Patented Aug. 31, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

roHN foeiolxiir'oa,` oFLcHIcAGo, InLINois s snaren ow "I"I"."MINER c'oMPAiTY, 0F CHICAGO,-

FRIcTIoN-DRAFT-Rieeiiie Ernten-ine 'Aiwav inoviNG MACHINE.

Speccationof Letters Patent. l Piatellted Aug'.V 31, 1909.

VApplication inea March '22; 190e.' semi-No. 485,094.

To all whom it may concern: l. f

it kno-wn thatl, .1J oHN F. OConnon,` a citizen of the United States, residing'in Chicago, in the county 4of-.Cook 4and Stateof Illinois, have invented a new and useful Imn provenient in Friction-Draft-Rigging Fin'- ishing and Proving Machines, of whichitlie.

following is a specification..

My invention relatesrto improvements in machines for finishing and testing or proving friction draft rigging for railway cars.` In the ,practical manufacture of friction draft rigging of the kind wherein the friction members consist of a plurality of friction shoesand gajfriction case or 'cylinder with the interior periphery` Yof r which the friction shoes are inV sliding frictional en` gageinent, and wherein a wedge isefmployed with anti-friction rollers on each face thereof to force the friction shoes into engagement with lthe friction case or cylinder, defective or inadequate cushioning or releasing' action is sometimes liable to result from .unavoidf able irregularities in the sha'pe or surfaces of the cast metal parts, and especially of the friction shoes and friction case, and although.

such defective or inadequatev operation of the friction devices will ordinarily quickly disappear after the draft rigging is put into practical use by smoothing down irregularities of surface by wear,y it is obviously of great importance that the operation of each and every friction draftrigging should be perfect and reliable from the start o r as soon as it is put upon a 4car for practical use.

The object of my invention is to provide a machine of a simple, eiiicient and durable construction by means of which friction draft rigging may be rapidly, quickly and cheaply finished, and tested or proved eilicient and reliable for practical'use.`

My invention consists inthe means Ihave devised and employ as -liereinshown and described for practically accomplishing this object or result, the same being more par-v ticularly set forth in the claims.'

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, Figure l is a plan view of a machine embodying my invention-f" Fig. 2 is a central, vertical section on `line.` 2-2 of Fig. l. Figf is a detail endelevaf tion, partly-in section, looking from theline 3-3 of Fig. 2.

,In the drawing, A

u connected with each `of said represents the .framev Oli-bedzof the machine, B a vtrack or way along whi`c`h the friction draft rigging cylinders maybe rolled, C a reciprocating crosshead (operated by a steam or other engine through suitable eccentrics or other connectingmeans `not shown,) D movable blocks adapted toibe interposed between the crossheadC andthe wedges of a plurality of friction draft riggings on the track B, E a fixed abutment for opposing the thrust of the cross-'head C, F a plurality of hydraulic pressure `gafge cylinders or chambers, F1 a plurality of pistons for said chambers, one opposite each movable block D, and Gr a plurality of hydraulic pressure gages, one pressure gage cylinders F. i i

The friction 'draft rigging X to be finished and tested 'by operation of the machine may be Vof any suitable kind or construction. As illustrated in the drawing, it comprises a friction'caseor cylinder m, friction shoes w1,

Vthe ,friction shoes x1 vare forced repeatedly vwithin the friction shell and released or restoredto position after each stroke by the springs m4 m5., 'andthe cushioning power and operationv of each'friction draft rigging at eachstroke of the cross-head is indicated by the pressure gagesG, the cushioning power of veach draft rigging ordinarily increasing at each successive stroke of the cross-head until vthe normal `cushioning power of each draft rigging is attained, after which further strokes of the cross-head do not mate` r riallyy change Oneway or the other thecush- `ioning power of the draft rigging. Ordinarily ya few strokes of the cross-head, siXor ght,w1ll be sufficient to cause the draft rigging `to reach its normal cushioning power.

'As soonlas any one draft rigging indicates by ythepressure gage connectedtherewith a sufficient and `proper operation and normal cushioning power,the movable block D in `front of such `draft rigging is 'raised or otherwise moved out of registration vwith ,tlielwedge of such draft rigging, so that further strokesgof the cross-head C will only L operate the other draft vrigging on the track B. Themovable block D is preferably thus moved and held out of position for operation by means of a bent lever d' and connecting link d1, having notch d2 adapted to engage the holding bar als. The link dl'is fur- Y nished with ahandle d4. Y

To insure regularity and certainty of oper- 'ation of the pressuregage G by the hydraulic pressure gage cylinder F and piston F1, the cylinder F is kept normally filled with water or other liquid under pressure, this being j preferablyV done `by providing the pipe g which connects the hydraulic cylinder F with f the hydraulic pressure gage G with a connecthe hydraulic cylinder F being, always snugly and normally full of water whenever pressure `is exerted upon its piston F1 by the reciprocating cross-head C. Y The pipes Vg leading from the hydraulic pressure gage cylinders F to the pressure gages G are each furnished with valves g5, and each of the hydraulic cylinders F is also provided with'a drain or discharge passage gc-closed by a valve gf.

The fixed abutment E is suitably anchored to the `fraine or bed A, and an adjustable support I-I is preferably interposed between this fixed abutment and the hydraulic cylinders F, said adjustable support being adjusted as required by adjusting screws 7L. 'Safety breaker blocksH preferably of cast iron or other like material `are also preferably interposed between the pressure gage cylinders F and the fixed abutment( E, the safety breaker blocks being ipreferably furnished with diminished necks h1, and beingpreferably'in- Y terposed directly between the adjusting screws It and the adjustable supportH.

The4 hydraulicV cylinders F are preferably allirigidly connected together by the front andV back plates F2 F3 thereof. Any desired number of hydraulic cylinders F and movable blocks D may be employed, three being shown in the drawing, this being the numberjI prefer to use, as it enables three draftriggings to be simultaneously finished andrproved out vor tested, Tand thus enables the work. to be done rapidly and cheaply without requiring an engine of too enormous power for operatingthe cross-head C, it being understood that each of the friction draft riggings is frequentlyrequired to bel of a construction capable ofA producing a cushioning resistance of two hundred thous and or three hundred thousand pounds..

Inv practical operation of v'the machine, when it is found that any particular'draft riggingl does not properly operate, or after a few strokes, does not properly develop its full or normal cushioning power, suchV defective draft rigging is removed and its defective condition of parts corrected.

l. In a friction draft rigging finishing and proving machine, the combination with a track for supporting a' plurality of fricrtion draft riggings, of a reciprocating crosshead, a plurality of movable blocks adapted :to `be interposed between the cross-liead rand the ends of the friction `draft rigging on said track, a plurality of hydraulic pressure gage cylinders and pistons in line with said blocks and a plurality of pressure gages connected with said cylinders, substantially as specified.

Y 2. In a friction draft rigging lfinishing and proving machine, the combination with a track for supporting a plurality of friction draft riggings, of a reciprocating cross-head, a plurality of movable blocks adapted to be interposed between the cross-head and the ends of the friction draft rigging on said track, a plurality of hydraulic pressure gage cylinders and pistons in line with said blocks and a plurality of pressure gages connected with said cylinders, each of said cylinders having a pipe provided with a check valve and communicating with the water service supply, substantially as specified.

3. The combination with a reciprocating cross head adapted to be quickly and repeatedly moved back and forth to compress the draft gear, of a track for friction draft gear, a plurality of pressure gage cylinders and pistons opposing said reciprocating crosshead and a plurality of pressure gages coininunicating with said cylinders, connecting pipes between said cylinders and pressure gages, and pipes provided with check valves and communicating with the water service supply to keep said cylinders normally filled with water, substantially as specified.

4. In a friction draft rigging finishing and proving inachine, the combination with a track for supporting a plurality of friction draft riggings, of a reciprocating cross-head, a plurality of movable blocks adapted to be interposed between the cross-liead and thc ends of the friction draft rigging on said track, a plurality of hydraulic pressure gage cylinders and pistons and a plurality of pressure gages connected with said cylinders, a fixed abutment for said pressure gage cylinders and an interposed adjustable support,

and proving machine, the combination with 'a track for supporting a plurality of friction draft riggings, of a reciprocating cross-head, a plurality of movable blocks adapted to be Vinterposed between the cross-head and the ends of the friction draft rigging on said track, a plurality of hydraulic pressure gage cylinders and pistons and la plurality of pressure gages connected with said cylinders,

, a fixed abutment for said pressure gage cylinders, an interposed adjustable support and safety breaker blocks interposed between said fixed support and said hydraulic cylinders, substantially as specified. Y

6. In a friction draft rigging finishing and proving machine, the combination with a track for supporting a plurality of friction draft riggings, of a reciprocating cross-head, a plurality of movableblocks adapted to be interposed between the cross-head and the ends of the friction draft rigging on said track, a pluralityof hydraulic pressure gage cylinders and pistons, and a plurality of pressure gages connected with said cylinders, a fixed abutment for said pressure gagecylinders, an interposed adjustable support and safety breaker blocks interposed between said fixed support and said hydraulic cylinders, said safety breakerl blocks having contracted necks, substantially as specified.

7. In a friction draft rigging finishing and testing machine, the combination with a track, of a reciprocating cross head adapted to be quickly and repeatedly moved back and forth to compress the draft gear, a pressure gage and a hydraulic cylinder and piston, said track extending transversely between said cross head and the piston of said hydraulic cylinder and adapted to suppn port the draft rigging` in line therewith, substantially as specified.

S. In a friction draft, rigging nishing and testing machine,the combination witha track, of a reciprocating cross head adapted to be quickly and repeatedly movedback and forth to compress the draft gear, a pressure gage and a hydraulic `cylinder and piston, and a movable block adapted to'be interposed between said cross-head and the wedge,` member of the friction draft rigging to be finished and tested and to be removed out of registry with said wedge when the testing and finishing `operation is completed, substantially as specified. j

9. In a friction draft` rigging finishing and testing machine, the combination with a track, of a reciprocating cross head adapted to be quicklyand repeatedlymoved back and forth to compress the draft gear, a pressure gage and a hydraulic cylinder and piston, said track extending transversely between said cross head and the piston of said hydraulic cylinder and adapted to support the draft rigging in line therewith, a fixed abutment for said hydrauliccylinder andan adjustable support interposed between said hydraulic cylinder and said fixed abutment, substantially as specified. p

10. In a friction draft rigging finishing and testing machine, the combination with a track, of a reciprocating cross head, a`

pressure gage and a hydraulic cylinder and piston, a fixed abutment for said hydraulic cylinder, an adjustable support interposed between said hydraulic cylinder and said fixed abutment, and a safety breaker block interposed between said xedabutment and said hydraulic cylinder, substantially as specified.

11. In a friction draft rigging finishing and testing machine, the combination with a track, of 'a reciprocating cross head adapt- 1 ed to be quickly and repeatedly moved back and forth to compress the draft gear, a pressure gage, a hydraulic cylinder and piston, said track extending transversely between said cross head and the piston of said hydraulic cylinder and adapted to support the draft rigging in line\therewith, a connecting pipe between said cylinder and pressure gage and a pipe provided with a check valve and communicating with a water supply under pressure to keep said cylinder normally filled, substantially asspecified.

l2. In a friction draft rigging finishing and testing machine, the combination with a track, of a reciprocating cross head, a pressure gage, a hydraulic cylinder and piston, a fixed abutment for said cylinder and a safety breaker block interposed between said xed abutment and said cylinder, substantially as specified. Y

13. In a friction draft rigging finishing and testing machine, the combination with a track, cfa reciprocating cross head adapted to be quickly and repeatedly moved back and forth to compress the draft gear, a pressure gage and a hydraulic cylinder and piston, said track extending transversely betweenrsaid cross head and the piston of said ihydra-ulm cylinder and adapted to support the draft rigging in line therewith, a movable block adapted to be interposed between said crossfhead and the wedge of the friction `draft rigging to be finished and tested, a

. and said abutment, substantially as specified.

\ j JOHN F. OCONNOR.

Witnesses EDMUND A Doook,

I-I. M. M'UNDAY. 

